Inside Scoop Live!

An Interview with B.A. Bellec - Author of Someone’s Story

B.A. Bellec’s debut novel, Someone’s Story, won the Reader Views Reader’s Choice Literary Award for Young Adult Book of the Year. Someone’s Story is a young adult coming-of-age book and has seen good support over Instagram, YouTube, and Goodreads. One of the aspects that makes Bellec’s projects unique is he includes musicians in his novels and then he actually produces the songs as his book goes through the editing stages.
Bellec was born in Richmond, BC, and raised in Langley, BC, before settling in Winnipeg, MB. His first adventure was a career in Finance, where he spent 15 years developing his business skills. His highest achievement was the Certified Payroll Manager designation. He currently still consults with businesses on their systems and processes. Over that period of time, he also attended Lights Film School where he started to nurture his early creative abilities. 
A self-starter always interested in research, he taught himself many of the aspects of storytelling through reading books, screenplays, and material online. Whenever he found an inspirational piece of art, he quickly went to the source to find the story behind the artist who created the work. It took many years after attending film school for him to finally combine his creative skills with his life experience and tell these stories he had been holding back. Some of his favorite creative people: Lukas Rossi, Justin Furstenfeld, Peter Jackson, Stephen Chbosky, J.K. Rowling, and Stephen King. 
During COVID-19, Bellec started a YouTube channel and was awarded a grant from The Canada Council for the Arts. He also pounded away on the keyboard to bring his second novel, Pulse, from his imagination to the page. He can’t wait to release that book along with the new songs that will go with it!
For more information about B.A. Bellec and his works visit his website at www.babellec.com.
Topics of Conversation
About Someone's Story and the inspiration behind the book.
Putting your story out and the editing process
Publishing during a pandemic
Creating an anonymous character as the lead protagonist
Incorporating Music into the story
Marketing during a pandemic
Blonde roast anyone?
What's next for BA Bellec?
CONNECT WITH B.A. BELLEC!
Website: https://babellec.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BABellecsProductionStudioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ba_bellec Twitter: https://twitter.com/b_bellec Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babellec
 
 

Cape Henry House - An Interview with Jolly Walker Bittick

Jolly Walker Bittick grew up in Sequim, Washington and served in the U.S. Navy from 2005 to 2009. He is a freelance writer, avid historian, and passionate outdoorsman who has traveled extensively over the course of his life. He draws inspiration and literary prowess from his experiences in numerous career fields and a multitude of social environments. From his time in retail, military, sales, and civil service, as well as his time living in rural, suburban, and urban environments, Jolly has developed a unique literary brand that encompasses numerous aspects of contemporary society.
To learn more about Jolly Walker Bittick and his work, visit his website at https://jollywalkerbittick.com/
 
TOPICS OF CONVERSATION
About Cape Henry House and the inspiration behind the story
Fictionalizing a story based on true events
Working with an illustrators and others to bring the best story forward
What he likes to read and authors who inspire him
Advice to aspiring authors
What's next for Jolly Walker Bittick?
 
CAPE HENRY HOUSE
Based on a true story, Cape Henry House is a coming of age epoch about a ragtag group of sailors and their partying adventures from a bygone era, as told by former Petty Officer Third Class Bosner. When two of his best friends move into a house off base, they believe it will be a place to relax and have a few beers. For three weeks in early 2008, it's a place to roar and have a few kegs! From bars and diners, to dance floors and strip clubs, Cape Henry House proves to be the focal point where everyone convenes. Through laughter, mayhem, drinking, and drama, the group discovers a deeper camaraderie that sees them off as some are sent overseas, others find love, and all are left with lasting memories to cherish for a lifetime!
 
CONNECT WITH JOLLY WALKER BITTICK!
Website: https://jollywalkerbittick.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JollyWalkerBittickTwitter: https://twitter.com/RealJollyWalkerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jollywalkerbittick/

The Colored Water Fountain - An Interview with Dr. Calvin James

Dr. Calvin James began his creative journey when he was nineteen. He taught himself how to play guitar, started writing music, and founded a record company, Climax Records, Inc. in 2001. He released his first album, “City” in 2004. Around 2011, he took an interest in writing and gradually shifted his focus away from music to writing children’s stories. Once he finished graduate school in 2018, he decided to share all the music and stories he had written and founded Calvin James Creates in 2019. The mission statement of his company is to share children’s stories, novels, and music that promote the values of truth, kindness, friendship, love, and hope. The first two music videos released under the Calvin James Creates brand were “Hurricane” on October 16th, 2020 and “Listless Christmas” on December 4th, 2020. The first children’s book that will be released is “The Colored Water Fountain” on December 1st, 2021.
To learn more about Dr. Calvin James and his works, visit his website at https://calvinjamescreates.com/. 
Topics of Conversation
Creating a series for children about social issues from a different perspective
Building a world outside our reality to show how crazy the concept of judging someone by their skin color is
Diversity in children's books
Favorite books and inspiration
Music, Children's Books and Novels
What's next?
THE COLORED WATER FOUNTAIN
In a world that has been remade by a great flood, humans wake to find they are immortal children with no memory of the past. Animals are caretakers of the world; growing old and wise with no knowledge of times before. And yet, some things from the world that was... remain. When Asher and Adeline discover a sign that reads, 'Colored' Water Fountain, they set out on a quest to uncover the meaning.
 CONNECT WITH DR. CALVIN JAMES!
 Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CalvinJamesCreates
 Twitter @CalJamesCreates
 YouTube Channel: Calvin James Creates
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calvinjamescreates/
 Read the Review of The Colored Water Fountain
 

This Too Shall Pass - An Interview with Marisa Billions

Marisa Billions is a high school English teacher and holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminology. She is the author of the fiction novel, This Too Shall Pass and is working on her upcoming second novel. Marisa lives in Southern California with her wife, Stephanie and son Alexander and two Boxer Dogs, Max and Ruby.
To learn more about Marisa Billions and her work, visit her website at: https://marisabillions.wordpress.com/
Topics of Conversation:
About This Too Shall Pass
Genre-Blending
Taking Creative Liberties
Feedback from Readers
The Debut Journey
What's Next for Marisa Billions?
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
Cynical and sardonic Eva Brooks ponders what it would take to be satisfied in life. She fights against familial expectations, societal constraints, and her own desires. Landing herself in an unsatisfying marriage and conventional life, Eva realizes that she is gloomier than ever.A reunion with Riley, the woman of her dreams, changes her life forever. A future of happiness hovers on the horizon, beckoning her, calling her forever forwards. 
Then reality strikes and it hits hard.After trying unsuccessfully to protect her son via orthodox methods, life, and death, take a twist. A ghostly turn of events has Eva trying to decide to what lengths she will go to protect her child.Can Eva use her haunting new ability to help her son?
 
CONNECT WITH MARISA BILLIONS
Website: https://marisabillions.wordpress.com/
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdPpbHj8/
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/authormarisabillions
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/authormarisabillions
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/marisabillions
 

The Journey - An Interview with David A. Fiensy

David Fiensy has a passion for teaching and preaching the Bible and for thinking about and articulating theological ideas.
After graduating from Duke University with a Ph.D. in New Testament, David Fiensy taught for seven years at Kentucky Christian University. He then served a two-year tenure at The Institute for the Study of Christian origins in Germany.  Upon returning to the United States, he accepted a church pastorate for six years and then resumed teaching at Kentucky Christian University. He has participated in seven archaeological excavations and surveys and has otherwise traveled widely in the Mediterranean area and the Middle East.
Now semi-retired, David serves as a speaker and consultant for churches and colleges and is involved in several writing and research projects. David and his wife, Molly, have two daughters and three grandchildren.
To learn more about David and his works, visit his website at https://davidafiensy.com/
 
Topics of Conversation
Inspiration behind The Journey
The Core of the Christian Faith
Walking the line vs. Hitting the road
Best method to study The Journey
Other books by David A. Fiensy
 
The Journey: Spiritual Growth in Galatians and Philippians
SYNOPSIS:
The purpose of life is not to prosper; it is to develop the soul (Alexander Solzhenitsyn)
The Christian life is not so much walking the line as hitting the road. It is about journeying with God through the adventures of life, climbing the mountains of joy and descending into the valleys of suffering. In this inspiring, accessible, and engaging book, Fiensy draws on his forty years as teacher and pastor to explore Paul's spirituality. He focuses on Paul's autobiographical references in his letters to the Galatians and Philippians.
The Journey teaches us that the Christian's life in the Spirit can benefit from suffering as well as joy, danger as well as peace, and rejection as well as love.
 
CONNECT WITH DAVID A. FIENSY
Website: https://davidafiensy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidafiensy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fiensy-0614663a/
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads Author Page
 
Read the Reader Views Book Review of The Journey
 

Scarlet At Crystal River - An Interview with Randy Overbeck

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for four decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent.
His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Amazon No. 1 Best Seller, Blood on the Chesapeake, Crimson at Cape May and Scarlet at Crystal River have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including "Thriller of the Year--ReadersFavorite.com, "Gold Award"—Literary Titan, "Mystery of the Year"—ReadersView.com and "Crowned Heart of Excellence"—InD'Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers' critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.
When he's not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation, "Things Still Go Bump in the Night," he's spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.
For more information about Randy Overbeck and his work, visit his website at https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/
 
Topics of Conversation
Writing Ghost Stories
Representation of Ghosts based on actual documentation of researchers
Featuring different out-of-the-way unknown spa resort towns in his novels
Creating not-so-perfect characters and his protagonist's special gift
Targeting relevant social issues, this story focusing on the plight of migrant workers and their children
What's next for Randy Overbeck?
Scarlet at Crystal River (The Haunted Shores Mysteries Series Book 3)
All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. But his carefully laid plans go sideways when they discover a hidden painting of two young Latino children, which turns out to be haunted. Is Darrell willing to derail their entire honeymoon in this perfect, quiet corner of the world to unravel the mystery of the children's deaths?
CONNECT WITH RANDY OVERBECK
Website: https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/Email: randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/OverbeckRandy/media
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorrandyoverbeck
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/authorrandyoverbeck/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-KOC0LH2GQRSAjwxOFr5rg
Tik Tok @authorrandyo

Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss - An Interview with Omar Harris

Omar Harris is a former pharmaceutical General Manager (GSK, Allergan), Intent Consulting and Tympo.io founder, motivational speaker, and bestselling author, with over 20 years' experience building high performance organizations on 4 continents. Having managed multibillion dollar brands and led extensive organizations while working in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the US, he innovated blueprints for J.E.D.I. Leadership (leading with justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) and servant leadership and 20 Team Performance Acceleration Principles (TPAPs) that can be applied by leaders at all levels of professional experience.
To learn more about Omar Harris and his work, visit his website at https://omarlharris.com.
 
Topics of Conversation
Motivation for developing his leadership series.
The changing blueprint of the corporate world
The five goals of JEDI Leadership
A book for all levels of leadership; using it to take your leadership abilities to the next level
What's next?
Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss: Leadership in the Era of Corporate Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Synopsis: From the Bestselling Author of The Servant Leader’s Manifesto with 20+ years of global pharmaceutical executive experience comes the most crucial and compelling business book of the year.
Business Must Be More…
There are dark forces at work breeding separation, disunity, disengagement, and denying their role in maintaining a status quo rife with injustices and inequities that keep them in power and everyone else subjugated.
But there is an equally and opposite force for good pushing back. Leaders who understand that business must be more by creating culture where injustices are mitigated, inequities are eradicated, diversity is highly prized, and inclusion is the norm.
These leaders wield the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) in order to achieve the true purpose of corporations – increased value for employees, customers, communities, the environment and shareholders.
 
CONNECT WITH OMAR HARRIS!
Website: https://www.omarlharris.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/strengthsleader
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omarlharris
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarl.harris/
Read Our Review of Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss

You Are Enough! An Interview with Charlene Wheeless

Charlene Wheeless is the founder of her namesake firm Charlene Wheeless LLC.  She is a renowned business and communications professional, author, speaker, and executive and life empowerment advisor. Additionally, she is the senior advisor for equity and justice at APCO Worldwide, a global advocacy and communications consultancy.
Wheeless is the chairman of the board of trustees for the Page Society and the HCA Virginia Reston Hospital and serves on other industry and community boards. She has received numerous awards for communications and leadership excellence throughout her career, including being named to the PR Week Global Power Book for most influential professionals in Public Relations and The Network Journal’s Most Influential Black Women in Business. Many business, industry, and lifestyle publications have featured Wheeless for her expertise and as a contributing writer.
Before launching her consultancy and following a four-year health crisis, Wheeless retired from corporate America as the principal vice president of global corporate affairs for Bechtel Corporation, a $40B global firm. In her words, “Cancer changed me; so I changed my world.”
To learn more about Charlene and her work, visit her website at CharleneWheeless.Biz
 
Topics of Conversation
Three books in one: part memoir, a cautionary tale, and part of how to create the life you want. Reclaiming Your Career and Your Life with Purpose, Passion, and Unapologetic Authenticity. 
Returning to the corporate world after defeating Stage 2 breast cancer
Pivoting to create her new life by helping others 
Feedback from business executives and those on the cancer recovery journey
How to overcome obstacles to live your best life
You Are Enough! Reclaiming Your Career and Your Life with Purpose, Passion, and Unapologetic Authenticity
SYNOPSIS: YOU ARE ENOUGH! draws from Wheeless’s experiences climbing the corporate ladder and battling breast cancer to illustrate life lessons for others. Personal recollections are used to illustrate that Black women not only have to contend with a glass ceiling, but also a concrete wall that makes it impossible to even see what lies on the other side, much less determine how to get there. While acknowledging that there's no single path around that wall, Wheeless shares advice on how she navigated the route herself. For Wheeless, this means busting up stereotypes, breaking down barriers, and flat-out refusing to be ignored, pigeonholed, or forgotten.While YOU ARE ENOUGH! chronicles Charlene’s fearless quest to be the best possible version of herself in every aspect of her life, her story is everyone's story regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. With wit, raw honesty, blazing courage, and solution-driven sensibility, Charlene reminds us that we are enough!
 
CONNECT WITH CHARLENE WHEELESS!
FacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedIn
Read our review of You Are Enough!

Betrayal at the Border - An Interview with Author Mark M. Bello

As an attorney and civil justice advocate, author Mark M. Bello draws upon over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers.
When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. Mark and his wife, Tobye, have four children and 8 grandchildren.
To learn more about Mark Bello and his books visit his website at markmbello.com
Topics of Conversation
Writing about the immigration issue
Undocumented versus documented - what's the difference
Justice Counts - Mark's new podcast
Branching out - Cookbooks and Children's Books
Betrayal at the Border
AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER DISCOUNT THROUGH OCTOBER 11, 2021
In Betrayal at the Border, attorney Zachary Blake returns to tackle two cases that strike at the heart of our nation's contentious immigration debate.
Two unique immigrant families, two uniquely dangerous consequences of America’s dysfunctional immigration system. Enter Zachary Blake, superstar lawyer.But, for the first time in a long time, Blake is out of his element—immigration law calls for the expertise of his specialist/partner, Marshall Mann. Together, two extraordinary lawyers take on a terrorist network and a broken immigration system. And master investigator Micah Love returns, racing against the clock to prevent tragic circumstances. In our politically charged, anti-immigrant international climate, will a Hail Mary be their only move?Award-winning legal thriller author, Mark M. Bello, pits our nation's broken immigration system against important human and social justice rights issues, spinning a tale that shines a bright light on the everyday fears of immigrants all over these United States. Can Blake, Mann, and Love prevent a Betrayal at the Border?
CONNECT WITH MARK BELLO!
Website: https://www.markmbello.comFacebook: @markmbellobooksTwitter: @markmbelloInstagram: @markmbellobooks
 Mark’s books can be found on his website, Amazon, Goodreads, and all other online retailers. The books are available for reader, in print, or as audiobooks.
Read Our Review of Betrayal at the Border

Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons - An Interview with Stuart Z. Goldstein

Stuart Z. Goldstein was one of the longest serving PR Spokespersons on Wall Street.  As Managing Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) in New York, the largest trade clearing house ($5 trillion daily) and central securities depository in the world.  
 “Goldstein surely was the highest profile corporate communications executive in the securities services industry,” according to Global Custodian magazine.  “In a position where few survive more than 5 years and one CEO, Goldstein managed four times the average tenure, and served three successive CEOs.”
Prior to this, he was a spokesperson for American Express and led National Public Affairs at Citicorp. Earlier he served as a State Ombudsman in New Jersey and as Legislative Affairs director for the NJ Public Advocate. 
Mr. Goldstein has co-authored 2 books in plain English explaining the inner workings of U.S. Capital Markets.  He has published numerous articles in PR trade magazines and was a contributing author to Public Affairs in an Era of Change.  His by-lined articles on public policy issues have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Times, the Star Ledger, Trenton Times, Global Financial Markets magazine and many trade journals. 
He graduated from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) with a B.A. in English and earned his M.A. in American Government from Rutgers University.   During college, he wrote for the Trenton Times newspaper and helped lead the effort in NJ to lower the voting age to 18 and ratify the 26th Amendment. 
He lectures on crisis communications and media relations.  He has also served on the graduate school advisory board in Corporate Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University and was a founding member of the Corporate Communications Institute at Baruch College. 
Connect with Stuart Z. Goldstein and learn more about him and his works on Facebook and LinkedIn.
 
TOPICS OF CONVERSATION
Moe Fields and Growing Up During the Depression
Returning From War - Starting a New Business and a Family
Overcoming Adversity
The Role of a Father
A Story for Future Generations
 
Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons 
Moe Fields (aka Murray Goldman), is a gripping narrative about a father's fighting spirit and determination to save his family and inspire his sons to succeed.
Goldstein applies his gift of storytelling to bring us the story of Moe Fields, growing up during the Great Depression - from his teens as a Golden Gloves boxer, to his career as a Bootleg fighter in Brooklyn for money, to being a WWII sailor whose most prideful moment was singled out by FDR, to overcoming prejudice and building one of the large plumbing businesses in New Jersey.
When a health crisis hits Moe, and later, a drunk driver causes a horrific car accident, crippling his wife, they are both left to deal with a lifetime of disabilities. But Moe digs deep to turn tragedy into triumph.
We all have our Moe Fields. This treasure of a book is a poignant and thought-provoking memoir that captures the enduring power of role models in our lives.
Goldstein has written a life-affirming story that's hard to put down-and hard not to talk about.
At a time when we need heroes, this book celebrates the strength of family, faith-and the enduring legacy we leave our children.
 
CONNECT WITH STUART Z. GOLDSTEIN!
Facebook
LinkedIn
Read the Reader Views 5-Star Book Review!